Smallbatch Dog Food Review 2024

Smallbatch is a family-run business serving up a variety of frozen raw, freeze-dried, and lightly cooked pet foods. Using humanely-raised meats, organic produce, and natural supplements, Smallbatch aims to produce some of the highest-quality pet food on the market. 

Wag! highly rates Smallbatch dog food because of its transparent farming practices, USDA-certified organic produce, and humanely raised meats. 

Interested in feeding your fur-baby Smallbatch dog food? Read our 2024 Smallbatch dog food review for the lowdown on different product lines, recalls, considerations, and more!

Smallbatch offers 33 products for pups across five ranges, including treats and supplemental protein blends. 

Smallbatch Lightly Cooked, Freezedried, and Frozen Raw product ranges are "complete and balanced," meeting the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient profile guidelines for all life stages. All treats and protein blends are for supplemental use only.

Let's take a close look at each product range and find out which one is best for your barking bud!

Lightly Cooked

Smallbatch cooks its Lightly Cooked recipes for five minutes in water baths, bringing their internal temperatures up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. By cooking at low temperatures, Smallbatch Lightly Cooked recipes become pasteurized, making them easier on sensitive stomachs. 

All Smallbatch Lightly Cooked varieties are made with at least 80% meat, 13% produce, and 2% supplements. All recipes have quality cuts of muscle or organ meat as the top four ingredients. For example, Lightly Cooked Chickenbatch lists chicken (with ground bone), chicken, chicken gizzards, and chicken hearts as the top ingredients. 

Organic produce, like carrots, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and bok choy, are secondary ingredients. All have health benefits; broccoli is high in vitamin K and vitamin C, while sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants. 

Smallbatch Lightly Cooked recipes contain an average of 54.5% protein on a dry matter basis, which is above average for dog food. 

Smallbatch Lightly Cooked dog food is available in three varieties:

• Lightly Cooked Chickenbatch
• Lightly Cooked Beefbatch
• Lightly Cooked Turkeybatch

Freeze-dried

Freeze-dried dog food is one of the most convenient ways of feeding your fur-baby a raw diet. Freeze-dried foods are 100% shelf-stable — just add warm water and serve!

Most Smallbatch Freezedried recipes consist of 88% humanely raised meat (except the Freezedried Lambbatch, which is 78% meat). Each recipe includes quality cuts of muscle and organs as the top three ingredients. For example, Smallbatch Freezedried Beefbatch lists beef hearts, livers, and kidneys as the top three ingredients.

Smallbatch uses organic produce in its Freezedried recipes, including squash, collards, and cauliflower. Using unusual produce in these recipes is excellent for dogs with specific food sensitivities. Squash is high in fiber, while collards are rich in nutrients like vitamin A and folic acid.  

Smallbatch Freezedried recipes contain an average of 53.4% protein on a dry matter basis, which is above average for dog food.

Smallbatch Freezedried is available in the following six variations:

• Freezedried Chickenbatch
• Freezedried Beefbatch
• Freezedried Turkeybatch
• Freezedried Duckbatch
• Freezedried Lambbatch
• Freezedried Porkbatch

Frozen Raw

Smallbatch Frozen Raw recipes are Smallbatch's purest raw recipes. Each variation is simply frozen from raw and contains a single animal protein source. You just need to thaw the food overnight and it's ready for your pup. 

Smallbatch Frozen Raw recipes are very similar to its Freezedried offering. All recipes except Lambbatch and Rabbitbatch consist of 88% meat. All recipes include quality cuts of muscle or organ meat as at least the top three ingredients. For example, Turkeybatch patties list turkey (with ground bone), turkey, and turkey gizzards as the top three ingredients. 

Smallbatch uses organic produce, like celery, green beans, carrots, and broccoli, as secondary ingredients. Pollock oil is added to every recipe, which is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. 

Smallbatch Frozen Raw recipes contain an average of 50.5% protein on a dry matter basis, which is above average for dog food. 

Smallbatch Frozen Raw is available in the following seven recipes:

• Chickenbatch patties or sliders
• Beefbatch patties or sliders
• Turkeybatch patties or sliders
• Duckbatch patties or sliders
• Lambbatch patties or sliders
• Rabbitbatch patties or sliders
• Porkbatch patties or sliders

Base Blends

Smallbatch Base Blends are ideal if you want to serve up DIY meals to your dog or cat with a blend of premium, humanely-raised raw meat to add to your food mix. 

All Base Blends consist of 100% animal muscle, organs, and bone. For example, the lamb blend lists lamb hearts, lamb, lamb necks, lamb livers, and lamb kidneys as the only ingredients. 

Smallbatch Base Blends contain an average of 55.2% on a dry matter basis, making them great protein sources for DIY doggy dinners. 

Smallbatch Base Blends are available in the following eight varieties:

• Base Blend Chicken
• Base Blend Beef
• Base Blend Turkey
• Base Blend Duck
• Base Blend Lamb
• Base Blend Rabbit
• Base Blend Beef Heart & Chicken
• Base Blend Pork

Bone Broth

Smallbatch Bone Broths are available in three varieties:

• Organic Chicken Bone Broth
• Organic Beef Bone Broth
• Organic Turkey Bone Broth

Freeze-dried Treats

Smallbatch cooks up two treat sub-ranges suitable for cats and dogs: Freezedried Bites and Freezedried Hearts. 

Freezedried Bites are a mix of protein, probiotics, and superfoods for a healthy Scooby snack. Freezedried Hearts list animal hearts as the sole ingredient, making them perfect for pups with food allergies or sensitivities.

Freezedried Bites contain similar ingredients to Smallbatch's main product line, with cuts of muscle and organ meat as at least the top three ingredients. Organic produce, like chia seeds, butternut squash, and spinach, are added to provide extra nutritional value. 

Smallbatch Freezedried treats are available in the following nine varieties:

• Freezedried Duckbites
• Freezedried Chickenbites
• Freezedried Beefbites
• Freezedried Turkeybites
• Freezedried Beef Hearts
• Freezedried Chicken Hearts
• Freezedried Lamb Hearts
• Freezedried Turkey Hearts
• Freezedried Pork Hearts

Here are a few reasons why Wag! highly rates Smallbatch dog food!

Quality ingredients

Smallbatch uses only high-quality, humanely-raised cuts of meat in its recipe. Every recipe, from its frozen raw line to its treats, uses quality cuts of meat as the top three ingredients. 

Plus, Smallbatch only uses USDA-certified organic produce in its recipes. Certified organic produce is free from pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and GMOs. Organic produce means sustainable farming, which shows that Smallbatch cares for the environment. 

Transparent farming practices

Smallbatch is transparent about where it sources its ingredients. It focuses on sourcing ingredients from local farms within the US. A map on Smallbatch's website shows that most of its meat and produce comes from the West Coast. Exceptions include its kelp, which is sustainably sourced from Iceland, and its rabbit, which comes from Iowa. 

High in protein

All of Smallbatch's dog food varieties are high in protein, with an average of 53% protein on a dry matter basis across its three primary product ranges. This figure suggests that all its foods are high quality, going above and beyond to meet your canine's nutritional needs. 

Recipes suitable for all life stages

Smallbatch's recipes are suitable for all life stages, meaning you won't have to swap your dog onto another food as they get older or if they're pregnant.

Thinking about feeding your fur-baby Smallbatch? Check out some of our main concerns and considerations below!

On the pricey side

Smallbatch dog food is on the pricey side due to the quality of its ingredients and manufacturing processes. At the time of writing, a 25 oz. bag of Freezedried Chickenbatch dog food costs $59.99 on Amazon.

However, this pricing is fairly standard among premium raw and freeze-dried dog foods. By comparison, a 25 oz. bag of Instinct Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken Dog Food costs $52.24 on Amazon at the time of writing. 

Frozen raw recipes require thawing

Smallbatch Frozen Raw recipes require some additional preparation before feeding your fur-baby. You'll need to ensure you remove it from the freezer and thaw it out overnight in the fridge. It's also worth noting that you should use any Smallbatch Frozen Raw food within three days of defrosting.

"My dogs did great on this food, but, now, it's a budget buster for me. I highly recommend it if you can afford it."

"Expensive…. But quality. Easy to store and use… my dog loves it, but I do supplement with rice, turkey, hamburger, and/ or eggs to make it go further as it is costly. His poops are small and well formed, so I feel he is digesting most of it and not just having it run through him and out the other end!"

Read more Smallbatch reviews on Amazon.

Smallbatch was founded in San Francisco, CA in 2005. Smallbatch is truly a homegrown company — it began with a tiny team cooking up recipes in a San Francisco kitchen and doing home deliveries. 

In 2007, Smallbatch opened its first brick-and-mortar store called Hazel & Gertie's. In 2008, Smallbatch expanded and began producing its food at a Santa Clara facility and renting a freezer truck for deliveries. 

By 2011, Smallbatch began making moves to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. It moved from containers to patties and implemented a policy of not using mechanically separated meats. 

Newco, a wholesale pet food distributor, started working with Smallbatch in 2011. By the end of 2014, Smallbatch had moved some of its manufacturing to a facility in Aumsville, OR.

Smallbatch has been recalled twice in its history as of January 2024. 

On March 26, 2016, Smallbatch issued a voluntary recall for one lot of its Frozen Duckbatch Sliders dog food due to possible Salmonella and Listeria contamination. No illnesses were recorded due to this recall, and it was issued out of an abundance of caution. 

On May 5, 2017, Smallbatch issued a voluntary recall for two lots of its 2 lb Frozen Base Blends Chicken recipe due to potential Salmonella contamination. No illnesses were reported due to this recall, and it was made out of caution due to the size of the lots affected.